Mother's Day Special

When I was 13, my maternal grandmother (nani) came to stay with us. We were in Calcutta at that time, and my mashi brought her from my mama's house. Since then, there has been a constant discussion in our extended family, close friends and all concerned people about why is she with us, when she has two very very able sons? In an Indian family, esp. when I was young, it was a matter of concern of nanis coming and staying in her son-in-law's house. My young head didnot have much questions, though I was not sure what to talk to her, I had never much interacted with her..also I didnot follow her Bengali dialect (she spoke "bangal", and I knew only "kaam chalao" Bengali)
As I grew up and I understood the whole equation, I understood how tormented my nani was, how heart broken she was when she came to stay with us, how pathetically helpless she was to be ill-treated by the sons whom she loved the most! When later few years back, when I chatted with one of my mama's son, he says all that happened because of money constraints, i felt like giving him a wham on his face, but then I controlled myself, I donot know what I do and how I behave in the future, may be this wham that I want to give to him, destiny gives me one! Man is perhaps just a puppet!!!
Its sad, children desert their parents for greener pastuers, wanting to escape the liability, considering them as interference..forgeting that they are the biggest assets of a parent! I am not married as yet, I donot have a mother-in-law , but I have often wondered, how a new bride can create the differences and break a well settled everlasting mother-son relationship, never got a justifed answer to it as yet. Its obviosuly a different issue, if the MIL is a vampire, but those cases are rare, I guess :D
I lost my dad in 2004 and since then mom and me have come more closer, she has a great conribution to what I am today, more so she has stood behind me and believed in me, trusted me in what I did. She has stood rock solid for me till now and I hope she does for many more years! But I guess most mothers in the world are like that... they help us to grow, prosper, and reach great heights..
On the day of Mother's Day, I salute just not my mother, but all the mothers of this world and thank God that He gave a child such a wonderful gift! I am reminded of a famous song of Kenny Rogers, an amazing story of a mother...
............
When daddy left and destitution came upon our family
Not one neighbour volunteered to give a helpin' hand
So let 'em gossip all they want, she loved us and she raised us
The proof is standin' here, a full grown man

Last summer Mama passed away and left the ones who loved her
Each and every one was more than grateful for their birth
Each Sunday she receives a fresh bouquet of fourteen roses
And a card that says The greatest Mum on earth

Oh, the path was deep and wide from footsteps leading to our cabin
Above the door there burned a scarlet lamp
And late at night a hand would knock and there would stand a stranger
Yes, I'm the son of Hickory Holler's tramp!
...................